Former freestyle world record holder Eamon Sullivan has announced his immediate retirement from competitive swimming due to ongoing shoulder injury concerns.

Once holder of the 50m and 100m freestyle world records, West Australian Sullivan - who won two Olympic silver medals in Beijing - had been plagued by shoulder issues in recent times.

In the end my body has let me down, so I'm very disappointed, but it's the right time.

Eamon Sullivan

The 28-year-old had been hoping surgery - which caused him to withdraw from the Glasgow Commonwealth Games team - would extend his swimming career until the 2016 Olympics.

Sullivan competed at three Olympics, and looked on track to make it three Commonwealth Games appearances when he booked his berth at Glasgow by winning the 50m freestyle at April's Australian Championships in Brisbane - where he beat a field featuring James Magnussen.

Eamon Sullivan's career highlights

330 days as 100m freestyle world record holder (Beijing, 2008)

430 days as 50m freestyle world record holder (Olympic trials Sydney, 2008)

But having pulled out of the Glasgow Games when he underwent a third bout of shoulder surgery last month, Sullivan decided his body was no longer up to the demands.

"With the way things are going I just don't think I have that 100 per cent commitment to dedicate 100 per cent of my life towards Rio (2016 Olympics), when the body is struggling as much as it is," he said.

"All I ever seem to be doing is coming back from injuries ... all these things seem to keep happening, and it just gets to the point where the thought of going through another rehabilitation is very hard to do.''

"In the end my body has let me down, so I'm very disappointed, but it's the right time."

Sullivan will also be remembered for being part of the infamous Stilnox Six, a group of Australian swimmers reprimanded for taking part in a bonding session involving the sleeping pill in the lead up to the troubled London Olympics pool campaign.

Despite the disappointing performance in London Sullivan said he is confident the team is heading in the right direction.

"London was a bit of a wake-up call for the whole team and since then they've been moving from strength to strength," he said.

"Eamon made his debut onto the Australian swim team as an 18-year-old in Athens and then 10 years later was able to take out the men's 50m freestyle at this year's Australian Championships which was a remarkable achievement," Anderson said in a statement.